Am I doing the right thing ?
- gaymen2
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
I mentioned recently about having a homeless man come round and how I am trying to help him. I asked your opinions and had a wopping two e mails in response, so thanks for your sharing, caring atitudes.
I asked about having him in my campervan out in the car park and both replies saw nothing wrong with it.
However my friends do - they say it could lead to a disaster and while I know this to be accurate, I still cannt leave a man out in the cold.
Anyway :- Today he came as planned to wash my car and do some tidying in the garden, but it is freezing cold, partially raining, and he turned up cold and wet after - NOW GET THIS :-
The sleeping pod given to him by a Homeless Charity - took it back from him while he was getting something to eat and they even took all his medication and clothing and are now playing hard ball in offering him something else.
( While illegal migrants get a warm bed in a 3 and 4 star hotel )
I gave him a thick winter hoodie and a rain proof coat I don't wear and hope this helps in the immediate moment. It's no use these charities offering help and then they take back his sleeping pod and steal his meds, leaving him out in the freezing cold as all homeless shelters are full, and it seems the people paid and designed to help - are not.
How can he trust people when the very people designed to help, so badly let him down over and over again.
MANY HOMELESS CHARITIES DO NOT DO WHAT THEY ARE PAID TO DO - or as in one local charity, it is so incompetant - so lazy and so unprofessional, staff leave, patrons get abused and this - coming from the very people who are paid to help, not hinder.
Deliberately making it difficult for people does not help.
Stealing their sleeping pod and belongings just pisses me off as well as the poor homeless person while illegral migrants Get heated 3 and 4 star hotels with all food and even money given to them AND STILL THEY COMPLAIN AND STILL OUR OWN HOMELESS ARE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD.
Now - he came today and cold and wet and had been in a fight with other homeless people as if and when you have some money, or someone has given you a new sweater and coat to keep warm in ( as I did this week and a quilt to keep warm under;- ) others will try and steal it from you and so he was badly bruised and cut about the face today and looked really sorry for himself.
I gave him some money to go get somethng to eat and as it was so cold and rainy to put off the car and garden until tomorrow, and he was pleased as he said he had slept in the open all night - the coldest night so far, and how unwell he felt.
So I gave him some money for - whatever - advance payment for the car and gardening - and said that if he was still unable to get another sleeping pod, come back later and I'll see what I can do in acommodating him in my campervan. It's right outside in the car park, is plugged into the mains, has a TV, fridge, area to make a hot drink and even cook a stir fry and has a small double bed and is warm and dry - and I'll put a heater in there for him as well, and see how this weekend goes.
I cannot have him in it full time as I have guests in it over the Christmas / New Year period, and I do not want ' THE LADY IN THE VAN' happening in my car park, but I cannot see a man suffer in the cold and wet.
I don't care what the reasons are he is homeless.
I don't care if he is an acoholic or even drug user.
I don't care if he has mental health problems as long as he is non violent and friendly towards me and my guests.
He seems to have no one else and while he knowns I am gay - and he is straight, it is not the point. Our sexualities have nothing to do with the fact a human being reaches out to help another human being and those who assume it is sexual or has some hidden agenda,- are the sick twisted cunts who do not help, find all sorts of excuses why NOT to help and meanwhile, people suffer and the selfish who do nothing to help, will get karma payback one day.
What else have you when on the streets but the occasional drink, fag or pick-me-up.
So starting tonight I am allowing him access to the camervan for a few nights and hope he can keep warm and sleep were he isn't afraid of being kicked or punched in the night, robbed or even knifed. He can, for the first time in a while, get undressed for bed and even have a shower ( in HH ) and be all clean. I'll fish out some more clothes for him and wash what he is currently wearing but - in all honesty, he does not smell bad at all... BONUS and if I am cold in the house sat here at this computer all wrapped up and with the heating on - WTF must it be like on the streets ?
If anyone wishes to help towards the costs involved as the van needs heating and as it is plugged into the mains, will need a heater and naturally, I'll help feed him and find any clothes and winter wear I dont wear and that might fit him and we all do what we can.
If you wish to donate a fiver plus, please get in touch as ' every little helps' and if we all just gave a little more, we could sort out a lot of lifes problems.
There, but for the grace of God.
Go I.
John Bellamy 01202-399227
MARIN CITY, California (WABC) -- A man is sharing his heartwarming, yet heartbreaking story of helping a homeless man get back on his feet in an effort to help spread love.
Adam August, 28, said he had seen a homeless man at a Starbucks near San Francisco several times last year.
"Every time I'd see him I'd tell myself that I would take him to lunch but always found an excuse not to," August wrote.
But one day, August, who works in the tech sales field, worked up enough courage and asked him to lunch.
During their meal, August learned the man - 37-year-old Tarec Atkinson - was born and raised in Jamaica.
"When he was a kid, he dreamt of being a famous futbol (soccer) player. He was recruited to play in school but never got the opportunity because of some trouble he got in as a teenager," August wrote. "He moved to the states 8 years ago and has spent the last 12 months living in a tent by the side of the freeway. Tarec goes days without eating, sometimes living off of the berries he picks, he spends 90% of his time alone and has no friends and no family in the states."
Atkinson told August it had been a month since he bathed, so August took him to his apartment so he could shower.
But August knew the hot meal and shower weren't going to get Atkinson back on his feet.
"Because of all these hardships, trying to get a job is impossible," August wrote. "How can you fill out an application when you haven't eaten in days? I told Tarec that I would drive around with him next week and help him fill out applications and even speak on his behalf to help him land a job so he can get back on his feet."
They met later that week. August stopped at the store to get Atkinson some new clothes.
"I was blown away at the immediate change in his demeanor," August wrote. "His smile was radiant, he stood up straighter, and even walked with a swagger."
The duo spent the next two days traveling around town seeing which retailers were hiring. They hit up more than a half dozen stores.
"I would walk in with him so he knew he wasn't alone. It can be overwhelming to walk into a business and ask for a job," August wrote. "I was very proud of him. We had a few positive responses but the majority of business's told us that applications were submitted online.
Of course, Atkinson doesn't have a computer. So August took Atkinson to the library, where he guided his new friend through the process - and learned something valuable, too.
"We've all heard someone say 'why don't they just get a job?' or 'they're lazy.' I saw firsthand how the "system" is set up to fail people like Tarec," August wrote. "There is no way he would have been able to do any of this without my help. Just like there are many things in my life I have needed someone to help me overcome an obstacle. We all need a little help."
Their work paid off. Atkinson landed an interview at a local grocery store.
"I remember driving to Safeway being nervous," August wrote. "I looked over to him and asked how he was feeling. He looked back at me and said 'I got this.' I believed him."
Twenty minutes later, Atkinson shared his good news - all without saying a word.
"I dropped him off, wished him luck and waited. 20 minutes later, I see him walk out of Safeway with a big smile and a thumbs up," August wrote. "I let out a Rick Flair sounding 'WOO!' We had accomplished a lot together in two weeks. It was an incredible moment."
After Atkinson landed the job, August decided to write about his story of helping another human.
"My hope in sharing this story is that it will inspire others to spread LOVE. We all need help in one way or another. Sometimes all someone needs is a friend," August wrote.
But the story is far from over.
August said he lost touch with Atkinson over the next few months. During this time, Atkinson lost his job.
"Holding a job when you sleep in a tent and can't shower every day isn't a recipe for success. I didn't appreciate that fact a few months ago. I do now," August said.
He's jumping back in to help again - now trying to make it permanent.
"The outpouring of support from thousands of people has inspired me to finish what Tarec and I started," August said. "I'm going to launch a gofundme page for him and try and find him a home."
The fundraiser site has since been created with a $25,000 goal set and details on how the money will be used to assist Atkinson.
August said he's also working to connect with a local homeless organization that may be able to help.
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